Poseidon
In Ancient Greek religion, Poseidon was the Greek deity of earthquakes, the seas and oceans, horses, and storms. He held sway over the seas and waters, and is particularly known for causing tempests. His Roman counterpart was Neptune, and his Etruscan equivalent is Nethuns. Poseidon was the child of Kronos and Rhea, and brother to Zeus and Hades. According to some folklore, he was saved by his mother Rhea, who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which was devoured by Kronos. One of his cult titles, Enosichthon, means "earth shaker", referring to his role in causing earthquakes. His symbols are the trident, with which he raises the waves and causes tides, and the bull, which is as aggressive as him. He is also called the "tamer of horses", as he created the first horse from the crests of the waves. Name Etymology The earliest attested occurrence of the name, written in Linear B, is Po-se-da-o or Po-se-da-wo-ne, which correspond to Poseidaōn and Poseidawonos in Mycenean Greek; in Homeric Greek it appears as Ποσειδάων (Poseidaōn); in Aeolic as Ποτειδάων (Poteidaōn); and in Doric as Ποτειδάν (Poteidan), Ποτειδάων (Poteidaōn), and Ποτειδᾶς (Poteidas).Martin Nilsson. Die Geschichte der Griechische Religion. Erster Band Verlag C. H. Beck. p 444. Also Beekes entry "Poseidwn" A common epithet of Poseidon is Γαιήοχος Gaiēochos, "Earth-shaker," an epithet which is also identified in Linear B tablets.Liddell & Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, Ποσειδῶν. | style1 = }} The origins of the name "Poseidon" are unclear. One theory breaks it down into an element meaning "husband" or "lord" (Greek πόσις (posis), from PIE *pótis) and another element meaning "earth" (δᾶ (da), Doric for γῆ (gē)), producing something like lord or spouse of Da, i.e. of the earth; this would link him with Demeter, "Earth-mother." Walter Burkert finds that "the second element da- remains hopelessly ambiguous" and finds a "husband of Earth" reading "quite impossible to prove."Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, 1985, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA,ISBN 0-674-36281-0, Pages 136–39 Another theory interprets the second element as related to the word *δᾶϝον dâwon, "water"; this would make *Posei-dawōn into the master of waters. There is also the possibility that the word has Pre-Greek origin. Plato in his dialogue Cratylus gives two alternative etymologies: either the sea restrained Poseidon when walking as a foot-bond (ποσί-δεσμον), or he knew many things (πολλά εἰδότος or πολλά εἰδῶν). Ephithets Poseidon was known in various guises, denoted by epithets. In the town of Aegae in Euboea, he was known as Poseidon Aegaeus and had a magnificent temple upon a hill.Strabo, ix. p. 405 Poseidon also had a close association with horses, known under the epithet Poseidon Hippios. He is more often regarded as the tamer of horses, but in some myths he is their father, either by spilling his seed upon a rock or by mating with a creature who then gave birth to the first horse. In the historical period, Poseidon was often referred to by the epithets Enosichthon, Seischthon and Ennosigaios, all meaning "earth-shaker" and referring to his role in causing earthquakes. Poseidon in myth Birth Poseidon was the son of Kronos and Rhea. According to most versions, his father swallowed him at birth, and then he was rescued by Zeus along with the other elder Olympians. However in some versions of the story, he, like his brother Zeus, did not share the fate of his other brother and sisters who were eaten by Kronos. He was saved by his mother Rhea, who concealed him among a flock of lambs and pretended to have given birth to a colt, which she gave to Kronos to devour. According to Tzetes, the nurse of Poseidon was Arne, who denied knowing where he was, when Kronos came searching; according to Diodorus Siculus, he was raised by the Telkhines on Rhodes, just as Zeus was raised by the Korybantes on Crete. According to a single reference in the Iliad, when the world was divided by lot in three, Zeus received the sky, Hades the underworld and Poseidon the sea. In the Odyssey (v.398), Poseidon has a home in Aegae. The patronship of Athens In another tale, Athena and Poseidon compete for the favor of the Athenian people, with each god promising total sovereignty to the victor. The terms of their contest were simple: whoever could provide the citizens of Athens with a more valuable gift would become their official patron. Poseidon offered the first gift—striking the ground with his trident and producing a spring. Unfortunately, the water was salty (perhaps due to his oceanic provenance) and was not terribly potable. Athena, on the other hand, offered them an olive tree. Seeing both options, the Athenians (as represented by their king, Cecrops) accepted the olive tree and along with it Athena as their patron, as her gift provided them wood, oil and food. Given that at its height Athens was a significant sea power, it seems reasonable to assume (following some scholars) that this tale represents a clash between the value systems of the early Mycenaeans and newer immigrants. The walls of Troy Poseidon and Apollo, having offended Zeus by their rebellion in Hera's scheme, were temporarily stripped of their divine authority and sent to serve King Laomedon of Troy. He had them build huge walls around the city and promised to reward them well, a promise he then refused to fulfill. In vengeance, before the Trojan War, Poseidon sent a sea monster to attack Troy. The monster was later killed by Heracles. Consorts and children #Amphitrite ##Triton ##Benthesikyme ##Rhode (possibly) #Aphrodite ##Rhode (possibly) ##Herophile the Sibyl (possibly) #Demeter ##Despoina ##Arion, the talking horse #Gaia ##Antaeus ##Charybdis #Hestia (wooed her unsuccessfully) #Aba, nymph ##Ergiscus #Agamede ##Dictys #Aethra ##Theseus #Alistra ##Ogygus #Alcyone ##Aethusa ##Hyrieus ##Hyperenor / Hyperes ##Anthas #Alope ##Hippothoon #Amphimedusa, Danaid #Erythras #Amymone ##Nauplius #Arene ##Idas (possibly) #Arne / Melanippe ##Aeolus ##Boeotus #Arethusa ##Abas #Ascre ##Oeoclus #Astydameia, daughter of Phorbas ##Caucon #Astypalaea ##Ancaeus ##Eurypylus of Kos #Beroe (daughter of Aphrodite) #Boudeia / Bouzyge ##Erginus #Caenis #Calchinia ##Peratus #Canace ##Hopleus ##Nireus ##Aloeus ##Epopeus ##Triopas #Celaeno (Pleiad or daughter of Ergeus) ##Lycus ##Nycteus ##Eurypylus (Eurytus) of Cyrene ##Lycaon #Celaeno, Danaid ##Celaenus #Cerebia ##Dictys ##Polydectes #Ceroessa ##Byzas #Cleodora ##Parnassus #Khione ##Eumolpus #Chrysogeneia ##Chryses, father of Minyas #Corcyra, nymph ##Phaeax #Coronis #Diopatra, nymph of Mount Othrys #Euryale, daughter of Minos ##Orion (possibly) #Eurycyda ##Eleius #Eurynome (Eurymede), daughter of Nisos ##Bellerophon #Euryte / Bathycleia ##Halirrhothius #Halia ##Rhode (possibly) ##six sons #Harpale / Scamandrodice / Calyce ##Cycnus #Helle ##Almops ##Edonus ##Paion #Hermippe ##Minyas (possibly) #Hippothoe #Taphius #Iphimedeia ##The Aloadae #Laodice #Larissa ##Achaeus ##Pelasgus ##Pythius #Leis, daughter of Orus ##Altephus #Libya ##Agenor ##Belus ##Lelex #Lysianassa / Anippe ##Busiris #Mecionice / Europa, daughter of Tityos ##Euphemus, Argonaut #Medusa ##Pegasus ##Chrysaor #Melantheia, daughter of Alpheus ##Irene #Melantho (daughter of Deucalion) ##Delphus #Melia ##Amycus ##Mygdon #Melissa, daughter of Epidamnus ##Dyrrhachius #Mestra #Mideia ##Aspledon #Molione #The Molionides #Mytilene ##Myton #Oenope ##Megareus of Onchestus (possibly) #Olbia, nymph ##Astacus #Ossa ##Sithon (possibly) #Peirene ##Cenchrias ##Leches #Periboea ##Nausithous #Pero, nymph / Kelousa, nymph ##Asopus (possibly) #Pitane, nymph / Lena ##Euadne #Phoenice ##Torone #Pronoe, daughter of Asopus ##Phocus #Rhode ##Ialysus ##Cameirus ##Lindus #Rhodope, daughter of Strymon ##Athos #Salamis, daughter of Asopus ##Cychreus #Satyria, nymph of Taras ##Taras (eponym of the location) #Syme ##Chthonius #Themisto ##Leucon (possibly) #Theophane ##The Ram of the Golden Fleece #Thyia #Tyro ##Pelias ##Neleus #Thoosa ##Polyphemus #Daughter of Amphictyon, unnamed ##Cercyon #Nymph of Chios, unnamed ##Chios #Nymph of Chios, unnamed (another one) ##Melas ##Agelus #unknown consorts ##Amphimarus ##Amyrus, eponym of a river in Thessaly ##Astraeus and Alcippe of Mysia ##Calaurus ##Corynetes (possibly) ##Cymopoleia ##Cromus (eponym of Crommyon) ##Geren, eponym of a town or village Geren on Lesbos ##Dicaeus, eponym of Dicaea, a city in Thrace ##Euseirus (father of Cerambus) ##Ialebion (Alebion) and Dercynus (Bergion) of Liguria ##Laestrygon, eponym of the Laestrygonians ##Lamus, king of the Laestrygonians ##Lilaea (possibly) ##Messapus ##Onchestus ##Ourea ##Palaestinus ##Phorbas of Acarnania ##Poltys ##Procrustes ##Proteus ##Sarpedon of Ainos ##Sciron ##Syleus ##Taenarus (possibly) In modern culture Books *Poseidon appears in the Percy Jackson series, wher he is Percy's father. Films *Poseidon appears in the 2011 film Immortals. *Poseidon appears in the 2010 film Clash of the Titans. He is portrayed by Danny Huston. *Again portrayed by Danny Huston, Poseidon returns in Wrath of the Titans. He dies due to the wounds suffered during his battle against Ares and the Makhai. Video games *Poseidon appears in Kid Icarus: Uprising. In the game he helps Pit and Palutena by opening up to the sea so they can access the Seafloor Palace. Portrayal Poseidon appears mostly as a mature man of sturdy build with black stubble, holding his trident. In Greek art, he is shown on a chariot drawn by a hippocampi, about to throw his trident. Attributes Chariot His chariot was drawn by hippocampi. Gallery Poseidon_Emerges_from_Water.jpg|Modern take on Poseidon. Poseidon_Sculpture.jpg PoseidonStatue.jpg References ---- | style1 = }} Category:Gods in a Trinity Category:Greece Category:Greek Mythology Category:Greek gods Category:Water gods Category:Sea gods